Sustainable Fishing

Being a multi-species business is where our roots lie and sets us apart as the largest fully integrated seafood company in Tasmania.

Deep-sea fishing vessel the Petuna Endeavour is owned by Peter and Una Rockliff, who charter the vessel to the other Rockliff and Sealord Group joint venture business – Petuna Sealord Deepwater Fishing. It catches pink ling, blue-eye trevalla, coral perch, ribaldo and other premium species to distribute nationally. Petuna Endeavour was the first trawler built in Tasmania when Peter had it commissioned in 1979 and today fishes in waters around Tasmania, South Australia, Victoria and Queensland.

The other chartered vessel, Sealord’s state-of-the-art trawler Rehua, arrives from New Zealand and catches blue grenadier on the West Coast of Tasmania. It processes, fillets, packs and freezes the catch on board the vessel and the by-product is made into fish meal. It arrives in Devonport after 30 days, unloading finished product and fish meal to be exported worldwide. Each trip is alternated between the Devonport and New Zealand bases.

For wild fish, sustainability means ensuring fish stocks are at healthy levels and minimising the impact of fishing equipment on the marine environment. Petuna is the largest quota holder of wild caught species in Australia’s south east fishing trawl. We’ve been heavily involved with the Australian government and scientific community in identifying fish stocks and bio masses. We adhere to some of the toughest regulations in the world, with a strong emphasis on the importance of quota systems and marine park zoning for long-term sustainable fishing.

In 1991 when Petuna began fish farming, farming accounted for 20% of the business and wild caught 80%. It is now 80% fish farming and 20% wild caught. However, the wild caught remains an important part of the business. Being a multi-species business is where our roots lie and sets us apart as the largest fully integrated seafood company in Tasmania.

In 1991 when Petuna began fish farming, farming accounted for 20% of the business and wild caught 80%. It is now 80% fish farming and 20% wild caught. However, the wild caught remains an important part of the business.